Ricardo Haesbaert, of the Jose Marti Cultural Association of Rio Grande do Sul, called for a vote in favor of the text Cuba will to present, arguing that the blockade is a crime against humanity—a genocidal blockade, a siege that cannot be allowed to continue on.

He defended the Cuban people’s right to determine their own destiny and called for respect for the Caribbean nation’s sovereignty, free from measures that hinder its development.

“The Cuban people cry out for their freedom, for their self-determination. Let Cuba exist on its own terms,” the activist emphasized.

Meanwhile, Maria Auxiliadora Cesar, founder of the Center for Cuban Studies at the University of Brasilia, called on the world to support the Caribbean nation’s initiative.

The academic—a member of the Brazilian Movement of Solidarity with Cuba in the capital—noted that the university group joins the international demand to put an end to a policy that has persisted for more than 60 years.

Cesar further warned that the blockade has intensified in recent years, with serious consequences for the island’s economy and the living conditions of its population.

These statements join other expressions of solidarity from Brazilian organizations, all in defense of Cuba’s right to sovereignty and self-determination.

jdt/las/dsa